


a place of solace

by epsiloneridani



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Gen, War is over, kind of in the Vode An universe but also kind of just an AU, mandalore is free, order 66 never happened, the jedi return home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,043
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26187733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/epsiloneridani/pseuds/epsiloneridani
Summary: Anakin and Obi-Wan face peace the same way they faced war: side by side.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 12
Kudos: 152





	a place of solace

“Can’t sleep?”

Obi-Wan’s propped himself up in the corner of his bunk. At Anakin’s approach, he sets his datapad to the side. “Something like that,” he says easily, and gives a graceful smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. His fingers worry at the sleeve of his shirt: GAR fatigues, not Jedi robes.

“That’s a good look for you,” Anakin says, and takes a seat on the bed without asking. It earns him a petty scowl. “Did you steal those from Cody?”

Obi-Wan snorts. “I didn’t steal them,” he says. “My only intact set of robes was damaged in the last battle. It was this or medical fatigues.”

“Nice of Cody to oblige,” Anakin grumbles. Rex guards his fatigues jealously, mostly because Fives is convinced Rex’s clothes are softer than his and so steals them after every laundry cycle. Anakin’s wheedled and bribed – all to no avail.

Obi-Wan reads it in his eyes. A soft smile curves the corner of his mouth. “I’m sorry the good Captain is far fonder of Ahsoka than he is of you.”

“Commander,” Anakin corrects immediately. “I promoted him, remember?”

“Oh, of course,” Obi-Wan says. “You know, Cody thinks it’s a task completed three years too late.”

Anakin blinks at him. “I was busy,” he says sheepishly. Obi-Wan’s smirk blooms into a full grin. He pushes himself off the wall and scoots so he’s sitting beside Anakin with his legs dangling over the edge of the bed.

“The fact that you were otherwise occupied does not change the fact that Cody was in my ear about it for the entire war,” Obi-Wan says. “He’s convinced you didn’t recommend Rex for promotion because you didn’t want to draw attention to him.”

Rex is a brilliant tactician and an exceptional officer with an exemplary record. Republic Intelligence would have killed to transfer him to a stuffy office somewhere to write algorithms and analyze combat models. Submit his file, make him a commander, and suddenly RepIntel has all the data they need to justify moving him.

“I had my reasons,” Anakin says, instead of admitting it. “Did you really recommend they make Cody a general?”

“Several times,” Obi-Wan says, and wrinkles his nose. “They continue to deny my requests.”

Obi-Wan’s still toying with the edge of his sleeve. Anakin raises an eyebrow at him. “You okay?” he asks.

The light in Obi-Wan’s face falls away. All at once, he looks exhausted. Older than he should. In the dim glow of his datapad, the white at his temples stands out starkly. He folds his hands in his lap and hunches forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

For a long moment, he’s silent.

“You know I will be arrested when we reach Coruscant,” he says quietly.

“You’re a war hero,” Anakin shoots back. “You’ll be fine.”

“Maybe,” Obi-Wan says. “But you should prepare yourself for – there exists the possibility that I will be tried for and found guilty of treason.”

There are two penalties for that, neither of which is conducive to a long and fulfilling life. Anakin’s heart twists. “You’ll be fine,” he repeats, curling one hand into a fist and squeezing until his arm shakes. There’s fire in his chest: burning fear. It’s old and familiar, torment like a twisted friend. With it rises rage: blistering red.

Not a day goes by when he isn’t grateful Palpatine is dead.

Soothing cool presses at the edge of his mind. Anakin accepts it, welcomes it, lets it wash over him. The tension slips from his spine; the fire flickers away.

“You know, Obi-Wan,” he says, “I’m supposed to be the one taking care of you right now.”

Obi-Wan’s shoulders heave. He tries to chuff a laugh.

It sounds more like the ghost of a sob.

“You may no longer be my padawan, Anakin,” he says, “but it will always be my job to take care of you.”

There’s a lump in his throat. Anakin swallows past it and shoves Obi-Wan lightly. He wants to say something clever, wants to make him laugh, take away that pain for a little while, but all he can come up with is a choked, “Thank you.”

Obi-Wan glances at him. “You never have to thank me for that,” he whispers, and unwinds his white-knuckled death-grip to reach out and squeeze Anakin’s wrist gently.

He defied the Council. Destroyed the Chancellor. The Senate may yet forgive him. The Jedi will not. Anakin’s heart turns again.

“I am so very proud of you,” Obi-Wan says. His voice aches. “It is important to me that you know that.”

It strikes him to silence.

Anakin swallows thickly, then rests a hand on Obi-Wan’s shoulder. “I’ve never doubted it,” he says hoarsely. There are no more insipid whispers. He’s learning to listen. Learning to hear.

In word and deed, Obi-Wan’s said it a thousand times.

Obi-Wan turns to face him. His eyes glisten with unshed tears. His jaw trembles. He takes a few moments to breathe, gathering himself the same way he does before a battle. The Force swells around them like a shield.

“You are my brother, Anakin,” Obi-Wan says. “I love you.”

Anakin’s breath catches in his throat. “I know,” he says. His voice cracks. He blinks – blinks. His eyes sting. Obi-Wan is warm in the Force, safe and secure. The war tore at him, tormented him, but through it all he held fast his light.

Anakin’s never had to look far to find a place of solace.

“Good,” Obi-Wan says. He drives his teeth into his lip for a second. His gaze falls to his lap. He twists his hands together. His arms tremble. “I don’t say it often enough, I’m afraid.”

Anakin surges forward and wraps his arms around him before he can think twice. Obi-Wan flails for a second, then relaxes into the hold. “It’s never too late to start,” Anakin says, muffled by his shoulder.

Obi-Wan’s breath hitches. “I suppose so,” he croaks.

Anakin squeezes him close. His throat is tight. He fights against it. Fights to speak. Fights to return it. To give him some small reprieve.

“I love you too,” he whispers fiercely. “You’re gonna be okay. I promise.”

“For the moment,” Obi-Wan says, “I am.”

For the moment, for Anakin, that’s enough.

\--

**Author's Note:**

> I'm [jate-kara](https://jate-kara.tumblr.com/) over on tumblr, if you want to yell about Clone Wars with me


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